A flurry of festive creativity swept through St John's School in Billericay on Wednesday 10 December, as Year 5 pupils rolled up their sleeves to construct an enchanting gingerbread village for the school's Christmas celebrations. Award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group partnered with baking specialists from The Gingerbread Grotto to bring the activity to life, spreading seasonal cheer following the recent launch of Hill's new development  at Kingsley Park in Billericay, Essex.

In the run-up to the event, all pupils in Year 5 were invited to design their own gingerbread cottages with Catherine Kelly, founder of The Gingerbread Grotto. Hill representatives then had the enjoyable challenge of selecting six winning entries.

On the day, Catherine treated pupils to a lively history of gingerbread traditions before guiding them through the construction process, teaching them how to create gingerbread houses sturdy enough to stand the test of time (and plenty of icing!). Working in teams of three, the children set to work, biscuit by biscuit, recreating their classmates' designs and assembling a festive model village.

The final edible masterpiece comprised six charming cottages arranged within a landscape of glacé gardens, a central Christmas tree and Smartie-lined pathways. Now proudly displayed in the Year 5 classroom, the village awaits its grand and delicious demolition when the school breaks up for Christmas.

Mr Anthony, Headteacher of St John's Primary School, comments: “It is always a pleasure to embrace festive activities at St. John's School each December, offering pupils opportunities to collaborate, create, and try something new. We are grateful to The Hill Group for delivering a festive workshop that brought all three of these elements together for our Upper 2 (Year 5) class. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and took great pride in their designs and creations.”

Rebecca Littler, Group Sales and Marketing Director at The Hill Group, comments:
“We were delighted to bring a little festive magic to St John's School and to see the children's imaginations come to life in such a joyful way. At Hill, we are passionate about building strong communities, and opportunities like this, where creativity, teamwork and seasonal fun come together, are incredibly special. The pupils' enthusiasm was infectious, and their Gingerbread Wonderland was nothing short of spectacular. We are proud to play a small part in their Christmas celebrations and look forward to continuing our support for the Billericay community as our neighbourhood at Kingsley Park grows.”

Situated on the town's south-eastern edge, Kingsley Park is a premium collection of homes, offering a selection of refined one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as spacious and luxurious two to five-bedroom family houses. Thoughtfully designed to suit every stage of life, this development caters to a wide range of buyers seeking comfort, style and accessibility. Nestled within expansive green open spaces, including a central park for residents to enjoy, Kingsley Park is a sustainable community built for active lifestyles and wellbeing.

For more information about life at Kingsley Park, visit: Kingsley Park, Billericay | Essex New Homes | Hill, call  01277 282038 or email: kingsleypark@hill.co.uk.

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About The Hill Group

The Hill Group is a top 10 housebuilder* and one of the leading developers in London, the home counties, and the South. The company is renowned for its partnership ethos, specialising in the building of distinctive new places and communities where people want to live, work, and socialise.

In its 26th year, this family-run company has grown to establish itself as the UK's second-largest privately-owned housebuilder, with an impressive and diverse portfolio of projects ranging from landmark, mixed-use regenerations, and inner-city apartment developments to homes in rural communities.

Employing over 950 people, the company operates from five strategically located regional offices including Bristol and Abingdon to help facilitate growth in the South West and the Midlands, with its head office based in Waltham Abbey, Essex.

Hill completed more than 2,800 homes in the last financial year and has a development pipeline of over 32,000 homes, including 10,200 with planning consent. Around half of its portfolio is in joint ventures to deliver a range of mixed-tenure developments, reflecting Hill's commitment to partnerships with government, local authorities, housing associations, and private clients.

Since the company was founded in 1999, Hill has won over 500 industry awards, including the esteemed title of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in 2015, 2020 and 2023. [NP1] 

Hill's dedication to delivering the highest quality homes and exceptional customer service has earned the housebuilder its 5-star status in the Home Builders Federation's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the past eight years. Hill is a registered developer with the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) and follows the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC), a new industry standard to ensure high-quality homes and an exceptional customer experience. With a score of 4.8 out of 5, Hill is also ranked as the number one housebuilder on Trustpilot.

In addition, Hill is donating 200 fully equipped modular homes to local authorities and homeless charities as part of a £15 million pledge through its Foundation 200 programme, launched in 2019 to mark Hill's 20th anniversary.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram @HillGroupUK

For more information, contact The Oracle Group PR Agency on Tel: 020 8394 2821 or hill@oraclepr.co.uk

*The Hill Group was listed within the top 10 of the Top 150 UK Contractors and Housebuilders published by Building.co.uk in December 2024